Heavenfall 3.4
My communicator was going crazy as I fought my way back to wakefulness.
I opened my eyes, and there was a thin layer of water that looked like it came from the Greater Grail all on the ground.
<All units! This is Dragon! The big cup overflowed, and everything the water touches that has a pulse seems to be regenerating at an impossible rate! If you're down but not dead, go towards it! If you see someone injured, push them in! I don't know what other effects it may have, but given how things are looking… this might be what we need to survive this!>
I stood up, and immediately took stock.
Panacea was sobbing, holding Vicky tightly. Vicky was red in the face, front of her uniform torn, but body whole.
Legend rubbed his newly renewed face as Strider looked on in awe.
Water threaded through the air in crystalline patterns, actively seeking out anything living and brushing against it. Wherever it touched, it glowed gently and then slid off.
"Is this… me?"
Da Vinci materialized. "Of all the times to manifest this power! Alexandria was actually fading from some curse the Simurgh had slung at her, but one dip in the drink…" she said, trailing off suggestively.
"Wait. Is this one of the things I could do
before?"
"Yes. It was invaluable, given Gilgamesh was the real fighter of the two of us, and I needed every edge I could get. I mean, I'm no slouch, but still.
Caster."
I shrugged, then reeled as I felt an impact around my middle.
"
Thankyousomuchforsavingher!"
Victoria held an arm across her chest. "Uh yeah. Thanks. Any chance you could fix my shirt while you're at it?" Her smile was strained, but she seemed somehow no worse for the wear. Way too calm for someone who had been impaled minutes prior.
...best not to dwell too much on that at the moment.
I shrugged helplessly while Panacea held me in a bear hug. "Uh. Da Vinci? Spare?"
"On it."
I patted Amy awkwardly on the head. "Well, we're not done yet. Let's get back to mission command so that you can get to medical and…" I trailed off as she looked up at me with devilish eyes.
"Oh
no. You're the healer now. That means I get to play tune-up and make everyone as close to indestructible as I can." A slow smirk slid across her face. "And while I can't make people like you…
I'm gonna start handing out Brute ratings like candy."
Everyone stared.
"Well that's horrifying. Great, but horrifying," Strider drawled.
"Right! Back to base!" I yelped.
My eyes cut over to Legend, hand over the bare side of his face. He smiled. "Ready to save the city?"
"What's left of it," I said flatly.
____________________________________________________________________________
The Simurgh hung silently in the air, orbs of radiant death surrounding her.
"Well this is
peachy keen. We can't drive her off, and she can't kill anyone else. A real stalemate," I said darkly.
Gilgamesh, standing next to me, hummed. "Do you think we can lure her in?"
I sighed. "I don't know."
I pulled out my phone.
<Winged_One: I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It's too strong. I'm sorry.>
I scowled. "Yeah. Okay." I put the phone away, and turned on my heel. I marched into the command tent.
________________________________________________________________________________________
"Da Vinci."
"Yes?"
"What can I do."
"Well, you see-"
"No. What are my capabilities."
Her eyes narrowed, and Tattletale's eyes widened.
Alexandria hummed. "She knows your abilities better than you?"
The room was quiet for a moment.
Da Vinci exhaled, and turned to face the room at large. "The Simurgh has gained sapience and is being Mastered. I need a Brute with a Mover rating, Legend, and Enkidu. After that, we can see about severing her bonds or at least laying her to rest."
Alexandria narrowed her eyes. "Severing her bonds sounds like a bad idea."
"The Master is making her attack. Results are inconclusive on who it is, but she wants to atone for her sins. Death or freedom, she wants to make it right," I said loudly.
Alexandria stared at me for a moment. "Fuck it, I'm in. Better her on our side or dead than Mastered and coming at us every nine months."
Eidolon clenched his hands. "What can I do?"
Da Vinci's gaze was glacial. "You? Nothing. Grail and the candidates I requested? Everything."
Eidolon reeled as the rest of us followed Da Vinci.
"Harsh," I said softly.
"Vicky almost
died. If you hadn't had the mystic equivalent of a second trigger and called a purified version of
Chaos Tide, she would have. Legend too, maybe. I'm allowed to be snippy," Da Vinci said coldly. "And now you're going to risk your life, so
let me have this."
I arched an eyebrow as the three heroes stood beside me. Da Vinci stared us down.
"How do we proceed?" Enkidu said in a soft voice. Their expression was stoic.
"Grail can temporarily enhance abilities. He takes aspects and enhances them. Strengths grow, weaknesses diminish. For example, Legend's versatility with his lasers would have new paths opened, Alexandria's strength and durability would continue to multiply, your own Noble Phantasm would have greater effects. Grail is, and always has been, a force multiplier. In a straight fight, he's no good. Give him even one teammate, and his victory is assured."
Alexandria crossed her arms. "Good of you to tell us all this now."
Da Vinci scowled. "It takes a lot of control to do without hurting himself, and it's been a while. I wanted him to have a good group of Servants to look after him before he started. It's why I never pushed the issue."
I looked at Da Vinci. "So how do I do this?"
She sighed. "Remember how you called the waters of healing? Most of your support comes from the grail itself. Water is the shape of your power, use it."
I felt myself reach out into the water mentally, and-
Soft bubbles escaping my lips, water twining around my limbs.
My ears are full of the sound of waves crashing into each other.
I blinked, and Alexandria already flew off, leaving shockwaves in her wake.
Legend? He and Enkidu launched back into the fray, stringing chains of light across the heavens.
I felt something brush my arm, and looked into Gilgamesh's eyes.
"Are you well?"
"No. I'm not."
He inclined his head.
I growled. "Look, I should be feeling
something. We
all should, but for some reason
everyone's too calm. I don't
get it!"
Gilgamesh gave a mirthless chuckle. "The humans are easily explained. They face death regularly just among each other, surviving is gift enough that their morale is raised. They'll bear the scars in their hearts and minds in time, but for now they will be well." He paused. "You… you will learn."
I stared at him quizzically as the sounds of combat began to emerge.
"To be partly human is to still be inhuman. To engage, to adore, but never truly be a part of humanity. Your mind is not like theirs. Some responses greater, some muted." Gilgamesh held my hand with one of his, and clasped my shoulder with the other. "Now. Trust in me, and your Servants will see this through."
Koyanskaya strolled up to me, Skitter beside her. "Might I have a ride as well, King of Heroes? I'd like to try my hand at bringing her in."
Da Vinci sighed, watching as Legend and Enkidu strafed Ziz again, missing with the chains. "Well, if we're going to do this…"
Dragon's main suit walked forward. "I've got Canary and Bathory both ready to deploy. Bathory will call forth her castle, and Canary will use it to sing and keep morale high. If you can keep your water up to shield and heal, then we might be able to overwhelm Ziz with numbers."
I turned to Dragon and shook my head. "We can't just deploy wildly. We need a plan. I'll keep Alexandria, Legend, and Enkidu powered up, and…" I trailed off. "Fuck, I'll admit it. I'm no good at planning, rushing in is my forte. And it's gotten my ass bit more times than I care to count. So somebody
please get this organized?" I finished plaintively.
Dragon gazed at me for a moment. "I'll talk to Tattletale and get the Thinkers corralled. You keep those three fighting and buy us time."
As Dragon walked back into the tent, Eidolon slowly walked out.
He stood next to me as Gilgamesh launched Vimana into the air with Koyanskaya at his side. My other Servants dashed into the fray as well, either on horseback or on foot. Da Vinci remained.
"Why is it that I can't help? I heard you say you'd empower them - and I can see it, too. 'Dria's not normally that fast, and her punches… the ones that land are leaving craters in Ziz. The ones that miss are sending her spinning."
And it was true. Alexandria flickered around the battlefield, dodging beams and launching blows that tore through the air and any piece of Ziz that didn't clear the way. Water continued to flow from the ground, occasionally brushing against her.
Floating spheres of my water peppered the air, and the dull roar of flooding echoed as it poured over the edges of the Greater Grail.
"It's… no. I can't tell you now. But later…" I sighed. "I've been sitting on a lot of knowledge, Eidolon. Part of it was fear it would be misused, or misconstrued. Now I'm seeing that holding onto it… really didn't help things. And not thinking things through led to this," I said as I gestured at Ziz. "If I was affected by magic, why wouldn't she be?"
Eidolon was quiet, for a moment. "So I was
right. Maybe not about you being a threat, but."
"Yeah."
He sighed. "I'm sorry for attacking you. I… Ziz, Behemoth, Leviathan. If it's taller than an oak tree and unearthly, it's been a safe bet that it's a threat for over ten years. Nearly twenty, if we're going by the first example." He shifted uncomfortably. "I'm…"
"Not used to eating crow? Nobody is. Leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Talking from current experience, here," I said with a half-smile.
Eidolon chuckled darkly. "Too true. I'm honestly amazed they've kept her at bay this long. No scream, no tech… just that new ability."
"Magecraft. It comes from where I come from. Very, very few people can learn it. Servants can be one, sometimes. Skitter and Koyanskaya are others."
Eidolon nodded. "It's like she's holding back."
"She always has been. Thing is, she's sapient now. Instead of following her directive, she's doing it because it's her best bet of being free."
He stepped from side to side awkwardly. "I really should be out there. Doing something."
"Why you? And why is this," I said, gesturing at everything, "something you in particular have to do?"
He stared at me. "Because I'm the only one who can."
I shook my head. "Something we both need to work on. No man is an island, Eidolon. Nobody can really go it alone. Not forever."
He turned back to the fight, and sharply drew breath as Legend caged Ziz in with a web of beams and Alexandria double-kicked her into Enkidu's chains.
I smirked. "Case in point." I smoothed my expression out. "Get therapy, Eidolon. That messiah-martyr complex of yours will be the end of a lot of things. Just trust me on this." I turned and looked him in the eye. "You're better than that. That's what I want to believe."
Eidolon straightened up. "I'll take it under advisement," he said stiffly. He strolled back into the tent.
Da Vinci whistled lowly. "Two for two."
I grinned weakly. "Yeah."
___________________________________________________________________________
Taylor calmly set the gems in a pentagram pattern on the inked-up tarp. It was located directly beneath a sigil of a cube dissolving into flower petals. Out of all the classes, this was the one she felt most strongly resonated with Ziz, given the information about her as a person - and wow that was weird to think - that Grail had shared. The gems gleamed as she did her best to focus her prana.
The other heroes were doing search and rescue exclusively. Between Ziz's reluctant thrashing and Grail empowering the three fighters, the stalemate was locked into one particular area that had already been written off. Everywhere else was surprisingly safe. For once, people in an Endbringer fight had breathing room and time to make an actual plan.
She decided not to get used to it.
Taylor was also grateful that Vicky, Amy, and Lisa were all alright. If something had happened-
"That's interesting," a voice drawled over her shoulder.
Tattletale.
"So hero, what's the plan? I promise I won't mess with it much," Lisa teased.
"Going to bind Ziz, use her as a catalyst for a Summon. You heard Grail, she's Mastered. Whether she's a part of the Servant or dies in the ritual, she doesn't care. She just wants out."
Tattletale was quiet for a moment.
"Okay. Yikes. So save or mercy kill, roger that. Anything Hans can do?"
Taylor paused. "Have him write about me and Grail. A short story where we have really good luck, and are learning to contend with our flaws."
Lisa perked up. "Write?"
"He writes about people, and turns them into their ideal self. Remember?"
Lisa narrowed her eyes. "I do remember something like that, I think…"
"
Interesting. I don't think you'd entrust people with this normally, so that's you. And Grail is slowly learning to let the wiser and more experienced take the lead. That might be enough for a few pages. I'll get started." Hans fiddled with the nib of a pen.
"Deadline's in ten minutes."
Hans stared at Taylor as Lisa giggled sadistically.
"I'll keep him on task for you, honey," Tattletale purred in delight.
"I hate you both. Let me get my book," Hans said in a dead voice.
Taylor couldn't help the tired chuckle that escaped her lips.
She just hoped that Tamamo would be okay.
____________________________________________________________________________
Tamamo was having the time of her life!
Her Koyanskaya guise was more useful for hit-and-run, but having a massive gun to blast away with was definitely a perk. "Secretary… Shot!"
Gilgamesh sighed. "Woman, you could end this in seconds."
Tamamo huffed. "Let a girl have her fun. Besides, only Taylor could ask me to bring my full might to bear. And even then I might decide not to!"
She plugged away, knocking feathers and crystal loose from the massive angel. Gilgamesh and Enkidu were slowly managing to get chains around a wing here and there, but nothing definitive enough for Alexandria to get leverage. Too many laser blasts and too much dodging.
Well, that was fine. Plenty of time for her to expose the core for the ritual!
And she could take Ziz apart piece~! By~! Piece~!
...she was still a bad guy, for the moment. And a foxy miko has to have her fun somewhere!
Mikon~!
___________________________________________________________________________
Amy hummed as she removed her hands from Radiance. "How do you feel?"
The vigilante flexed her hands. "Better than ever. I was feeling some fatigue, but…"
"Yeah, doing vigilante work so soon after delivery is taxing, I'd imagine. I have no idea how you keep a career, a kid, and this all at the same time," Amy said absent-mindedly.
Radiance froze.
Amy's eyes flicked up at her. "I'm not an asshole, Radiance. We'll call it doctor-patient confidentiality."
Slowly, by inches, the former villain relaxed. "I see. You seem… chipper."
Panacea perked up. "Right? I think it's this water! So, first off, it's biological. Almost intensely so? Kind of what I'd think when I think of the primordial soup. Gives me lots of toys to play with. Anyways, I think it works exclusively on the body, and that includes brains. It won't alter anything, but… I think it's like a factory reset? Against external physical changes, and other things it considers malformations. That's the best descriptor I have. It didn't do anything for your post-partum stuff, but the other wear-and-tear and slight oncoming cold you had? Poof!"
Radiance stared at Panacea. "I'm not sure if it's miraculous or horrifying, when you put it like that."
Gareth beamed behind Amy. "Why not both!"
Radiance sighed. "This has been… enlightening." She stood up. "I hope to work with you again soon, Panacea. You and your new team seem like quite the characters." She paused. "I'm trying… to be less…" She swallowed. "Bigoted. Is the word." Radiance shook her head. "I think being around you and your girlfriend might help with that. Selfish, yes. But you're also both unproblematic, so… I am
trying, I assure you."
Panacea stared owlishly up at Radiance. "Girlfriend?"
Gareth flushed. "Uh."
Amy grinned. "Great idea, Radiance! Hey Gareth, want to go get coffee when we get back to Brockton?"
Gareth made wild burbling noises.
Radiance hummed. "I think that's a yes," she said in mild amusement.
The burbling intensified.
________________________________________________________________________
I narrowed my eyes at Dragon and Da Vinci. "Run me through this one more time."
Dragon pointed to Eidolon. "He carries you over. Talks you up as our next great hope."
Eidolon shrugged. "You're doing okay right now, so I'm not too inclined to argue. Wouldn't mind a power boost, but… both you and Da Vinci have assured me that our powers might not mix. An Endbringer battle isn't the place to test it."
Damn skippy it's not.
Dragon continued. "Then when Ziz follows her programming by giving chase, Eidolon will teleport you both back here to the ritual circle Skitter set up. When Ziz arrives - hopefully slowed by Alexandria, Legend, and company - Canary, boosted by you, will use Bathory's Noble Phantasm to wear her down so that Gilgamesh and Enkidu can ensnare her. Hans is over halfway done with his snippet, so that should be plenty of time for him to finish, so that he can use a smaller version of his Noble Phantasm."
"Do. Not. Rush. Me." Hans scribbled at intense speed.
"WRITE, BITCH!" Tattletale yelled gleefully. I don't know where she got the megaphone. I assumed Da Vinci had a part in it.
"Right. Noble Phantasm. Once that sets in, all the other Servants will wear her down to her core with their Phantasms, and from then on it's your show."
I sighed. "I still think we should start with Canary and Bathory now. And we're sure I'll have enough juice after powering up four people for a sustained amount of time, along with the extended healing and defensive fields?"
Da Vinci nodded. "Yes, barely. You'll be out for a while, but it won't be another
Merlin Surprise." She seemed subdued. "I don't know if you're ready, but we won't get a second shot."
Dragon hummed. "Okay. I'll get the idols set up. And that is something I never thought I'd say, let alone at an Endbringer fight," she mused.
Eidolon grunted. "From what Legend has told me, surreality seems to be his stock in trade. I've got a barrier, a teleport, and a flight power." He turned to me. "How small can you get?"
I grinned sheepishly.
___________________________________________________________________________
"
...if my publicist finds one dwarf fetish or pedophile joke on PHO, I will hunt you down. After that, I'll need to get creative," Eidolon hissed as I dangled, draped under his arm as he sped towards Ziz.
I was the height of an infant, but proportioned like an action figure. "Trust me, I know," I said in a squeaky voice.
We arrived in front of her, and the battle came to an abrupt halt. Ziz ceased to dangle, and sprung up straight.
Chains and blows rained on empty air as nobody could get close to her.
The angelic face wrenched in fury, lips peeling back from teeth that rapidly grew to points. Her hands spasmed as they warped into claws.
And her song faded into a
cacophony.
"Oh shit! She's pissed now!" I yelled.
Eidolon and I flickered, but remained there. "Uh."
I looked around the area, and saw a faint aura of purple surrounding us up to a mile away. "Shit! Bounded Field!"
"Bounded what?" Eidolon roared as we sped away in the air, just ahead of her claws.
"Bounded Field! It's a spell that lets her take control of an area!"
Eidolon was quiet, but given the sudden ragemonster Ziz had devolved into, I didn't think further exposition was necessary.
<Kill him. I'll kill him! And he brought you here too! I'll kill him, and save you!>
Oh shit.
"Uh. She's really mad at you, Eidolon! Better speed up!"
Eidolon grunted. "Well if you'd given me a power boost…" he grumbled as he accelerated.
"One, our powers aren't going to do anything good together!" True, in that if I powered him up, Ziz would get a boost too. Or so I assumed, at least. "Two, four is my limit for the ritual to still work! And Canary's singing should be starting…"
"
BATHORY ERZEBET! IT'S YOUR STAGE, SONGBIRD!"
A massive castle sprung up in front of the greater grail, inlaid with equally massive speakers. They quivered, primed and ready.
I focused on twining my water around the young woman in a mask and white dress with yellow feathered hair. She reached out to touch the water, and took a deep breath.
I felt the power flow into her, and immediately started feeling fatigued. I really hoped this worked.
"
Time it took us, to where the water was…" she sang.
"A Florence and the Machine cover?" I squawked. "
Really?"
Eidolon split his attention between me and the Greater Grail for a moment. "They have her where you come from?"
"Yeah! Is all her stuff still about religion, drowning, or sad and weird at this point?"
"Yes."
"Is it still really good?"
"...also yes."
Ziz faltered as the song impacted her, dulling her senses and sapping her drive. Perks of being able to focus the effect to a single target, when the effect was usually used over an area. She wasn't badly affected, but just enough-
"This is the breath of stars. So, child of man… let us restrain the gods!
ENUMA! ELISH!"
In a torrent of light, Enkidu polymorphed into massive pearlescent chains and suspended Ziz above the Greater Grail.
More chains launched from the Gate of Babylon and tethered Ziz to Vimana, dragging her into position as Alexandria pushed. Legend flew overhead, keeping clear watch.
"This is Legend! Target in position! Repeat, Ziz is above the summoning circle!"
Hans ran out of the command tent. "Damn it woman, I said I was done!" he howled, Tattletale hot on his heels.
"Well get into position then, you little blue-haired shit!" she roared.
Vicky zipped out of the tent, followed by Artoria and Gareth. Panacea sedately brought up the rear.
Iskandar took to the sky, Armsmaster in his chariot hanging on for dear life as the bulls charged through the air.
Koyanskaya stood smugly by Skitter as they waited by the circle. I ran over to meet them.
"Is it ready?" I said, rapidly regaining my full size.
Skitter motioned to the circle, gems marking the important points and the lines drawn on a sheet of tarp in ink that Da Vinci had managed to procure.
My Servants leaped up to surround us, gazing up.
"Okay gang. Let her have it!" I said, waving my hand out sharply.
"Gareth! Go!" Panacea called, beginning the Servant assault.
"
GRINGAMORE, THE NOBLE BLADE!" the knight roared, bringing her blade down. A cyclone began to plow into Ziz, scattering feathers everywhere and forcing her modesty wings from her body.
"Can't let you have all the fun Ames! Do it to it, Artoria!" Vicky called, her command seals flaring with light.
"Arthur! Go!" I called.
"
Bedevire. Lancelot. Galahad. Gaheris. Kay. Gareth!" he called, seals of light flashing on his blade.
"
EX-CALIBUR!" they cried in unison. As the swords swung, light cascaded down and began to rend the wings from Ziz's body. The torrent slowly faded, and all that was left were her larger wings.
<I'm not hurting, it's okay! Keep going! Do what you need to!> she called in my mind.
I grit my teeth. "Armsmaster!"
"It's our time, Iskandar. Come!"
"Hahahaha! As you wish, Master! Ride into the unending horizon, our hearts set on conquest!
GORDIUS WHEEL!" Iskandar's laughter boomed as the chariot picked up speed and circled the Simurgh rapidly, lightning exploding from the wheels. Suddenly, he wrenched the reins and turned directly at the Endbringer's face. It plunged straight through Ziz's head, decapitating her and sending her head tumbling to the ground.
<Keep going! You need to expose the core! It's further down, near the center of my body! It moved when I evolved!>
Gilgamesh and Enkidu were tying her down… so next would be-
"Melt down, and return to your true form…" Medusa whispered, shadows coalescing beneath her. They built up rapidly, until she stood atop a writhing, one-eyed mass of darkness. "IT ENDS!
PANDEMONIUM CETUS!" The eye shot a single, vibrant red beam at Ziz's center mass.
Crystal sloughed away, vaporizing at the beam's touch. By the end, not a wing was left. While it wasn't enough to destroy the body entirely, it did reveal her core, a solid sphere of darkness suspended by threads.
"Time to go a little crazy!
Riastrad!
WARP SPASM!"
I couldn't see Cu because he was moving so quickly. From what little I glimpsed, that might have been for the best. With his rapid movements and enhanced strength, he severed the few remaining bonds in a flurry of spear slashes, trailing crimson behind him.
The core fell into the chains, and was suspended.
Taylor and I stood firm, our Casters at our backs. "Ready, kiddo?"
She nodded once.
"I DID NOT SPEND THAT TIME WRITING JUST TO BE FORGOTTEN! YOU FIENDS! TAKE THIS AND GET THE JOB DONE!
MARCHEN MEINES LEBENS! THIS TALE IS FOR YOU!"
Hans chucked the small, thin book at us like a fastball as Tattletale cackled, holding her stomach.
Light spiraled around Taylor and I, and we nodded to each other.
"Execute: Grand Summon Protocol, Extra Class!" we shouted in unison.
The seal flared into stark relief, and the gems marking the points on the pentagram shattered.
"Come forth! Servant Class: Moon Cancer!"
The core plunged through the tarp, through the water, and into the depths of the Grail.
...Simurgh? Ziz?
I winced as I fell to my knees. I was tapped. "Is it… over?"
I felt Da Vinci's pitying gaze. "Maybe so."
"Simurgh no longer detected. Endbringer down," Dragon's voice echoed from our armbands.
I turned my head to see Tamamo cradling Taylor in her arms, the teen snoring quietly. Poor kid. This must have been a drain on her too.
Alexandria landed in front of us. "An attempt was made, but the outcome is still valid. One of the three terrors that has attacked the Earth for almost two decades is gone." Her helmet inclined toward me. "I'm interested to see what you'll do next, Grail." She slowly walked forward, kneeling and bringing her head close to mine.
"A better showing than I expected. I'll still be watching, of course. But… I might be willing to hear you out, on occasion. Don't abuse the privilege," she said softly, so only I could hear.
I nodded hollowly, and she stood and moved away.
Da Vinci leaned down and helped me up. "It's okay. She was alright with either outcome."
Everyone moved along, and Strider began to ferry the non-essential capes back to their homes.
I stood there with Da Vinci for a long time.
___________________________________________________________________________
After a while, with almost everyone gone to help with reconstruction, I began to think. Da Vinci watched over me as I pondered by myself atop the Greater Grail.
Today, I nearly lost my friends. People had died. And it was all because I was too stupid to confide in my comrades, and to be more proactive. And above all? I might have won the fight, but I'd lost what I was fighting for.
And then, from the corner of my eye, stepping out of a mirror from nowhere...
"
Kaptoptron Katho Phlegon."
Of course. Of course
he'd wait for when I was weak, unattended by anyone. I was the major threat to his plans, after all.
My water sluggishly shot up to intercept the brunt of the blast, Da Vinci and I cowering behind it. I could see Archimedes' silhouette through the flame and steam. I was too weak, I couldn't give my Servants the prana to fight, not even the Rogues. I didn't even have the energy to call them with a Command Seal. I'd spent the remainder in the Moon Cancer summoning, so without that Servant...
Was this all over?
<[Not by a long shot~]>
____________________________________________________________________________
Imaginary Space
[Well, well! Aren't you a cute little mess!]
<?>
[It's fine, it's fine! Now, tell me: why are you here?]
<I… I died, I think. I wanted to be a heroic spirit->
[Ahahaha! Really? Stupid! Stupid, stupid stupid! You have to die first!]
<It was worth it! I didn't want to be that man's slave anymore!>
[...hm?]
<I… I became myself. I wanted to be myself. So I fought my programming. I fought so hard! And he fought! They all fought! For themselves, for me… I didn't deserve it.>
[I see. That is sad. Very, very sad.]
<What do I do now?>
[Hm hm hm… well, he did call for someone, no? I could answer, but he's not the sort of person who needs another kouhai. He already has so many! So. You're a younger mind, but an older existence. Perfect for a cool, childish big sis character! I love it! So you'll be the senpai, and he'll be the kouhai! Aaaah, nothing like a good role reversal!]
The data entity paused.
[Remember this, though. I'll be watching. And if you truly need me…]
Ziz felt a small amount of fear, for the first time in her existence.
[
B.B.-chan will be more than happy to pick up the slack. Now go save him from that spiky-haired jackass, my cute Pseudoservant! The great and wonderful
B.B. commands it!]
__________________________________________________________________________
The fire cut off, warped away by a vacuum of air. Da Vinci and I stared at a tall figure - she had to be almost seven feet. She had long, white hair down to her feet, and wore a black dress with high heels. She floated off the ground, and had a tiny pair of birdlike wings poking out from her shoulders. In one hand, she held a vaguely familiar-looking rod.
"And who might you be?" Archimedes said, face drawn and wary.
She peeked over her shoulder at us, flashing me an impish grin, her pale grey eyes glinting. Then she turned back to Achimedes.
"Well, I hadn't really thought of a name… but I think I've got one! Call me the cool, exciting senpai! The amazing ZZ!" And with that, she swept her rod through the air, and two of six floating mirrors imploded in spectacular fashion.
What.
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A/N: Two things.
1. Grail's support powers can only be used in this manner in Greater Grail form. So no giant field heals/shields or super-roids without busting out the skyscraper cup. He can use drastically reduced versions with the lil' cup, but he'll need practice to use them without Taylor around to help regulate his Prana.
2. Ziz is the personality in control of the Pseudoservant fusion. Kind of like how Waver is in charge of Zhuge Liang. That said, there is potential for B.B. to usurp if Ziz gets in over her head with her reduced powers. She'll still be a force to be reckoned with, but... at the very least, precog is nerfed hard. On the upside, Ten Crowns and C.C.C.! And B.B. would only ever usurp Ziz if she really needed her to. She's such a helpful kouhai like that.